Hazardous waste transfer port system and storage container

Abstract

A hazardous material transfer system for the transfer of waste from a containment cell through a transfer port to a storage vessel. A port door in the containment cell is movable between a open and closed positions relative to the transfer port. The port door has a closure face with a first connector set. A storage vessel sealed by a storage vessel cover is provided for receipt of waste transferred through the port. The cover has an outside face that carries a second connector set that interlocks with the first connector set on the port door. The inside face of the vessel cover has a third connector set. A fourth connector set is located on the storage vessel and mates with the third connector set to lock and seal the cover to the vessel. The connector sets are the variety that engage and disengage upon rotational motion.

1. A material transfer system comprising:
 a cell floor for separating a containment environment from an exterior environment and having a first side for the containment environment side and a second side for the exterior environment side, said cell floor having a waste transfer port; 
 a port door located on the first side of the cell floor and movable between an open position clear of the port and a closed position in sealing relationship to the port, said port door having a closure face with a first connector set; 
 a storage vessel located on the second side of the cell floor and having an open end for receipt of waste material transferred through the port; 
 a storage vessel cover connectable to the open end of the storage vessel to close and seal the storage vessel; 
 said storage vessel cover having a base with an outside face that faces outward of the storage vessel when the cover is connected to the storage vessel, and an inside face; 
 the outside face of the cover having a second connector set that can interlock with the first connector set; 
 a third connector set on the inside face of the cover; 
 a fourth connector set on the storage vessel that can interlock with the third connector set; 
 a docking station connected to the second side of the cell floor in surrounding relationship to the port for docking the storage vessel, wherein the docking station includes a docking ring assembly comprising
 a cylindrical segment with an inverted crown shape having crown peaks and valleys, and 
 vertical slots defined in the valleys between the crown peaks; wherein: 
 
 said first and second connector sets of the variety that engage and disengage upon rotation of the cover relative to the closure face of the port door; 
 said third and fourth connector sets of the variety that engage and disengage upon rotation of the cover relative to the storage vessel; 
 said first and second connector sets and said third and forth connector sets relatively arranged so that with the port door closed, rotation of the storage vessel in a first direction interlocks the first and second connector sets and releases the third and fourth connectors sets so that the port door can be opened with the vessel cover to open the storage vessel, and rotation of the storage vessel in a second direction with the port door closed releases the first and second connector sets and interlocks the third and fourth connector sets so that the storage vessel is closed and can be moved away from the port. 
 
   
   
     2. The transfer system of  claim 1  including: a hinge bar connected at one end to the port door and connected at the other end to the cell floor for pivotal movement of the port door between the open and closed positions; and a drive motor connected to the hinge bar. 
   
   
     3. The transfer system of  claim 2  wherein: the port door has a truncated conical body ending in a reduced diameter neck; the first connector set includes a perimeter of fastening ears spaced about the neck and extending radially outward; a circumferential rim extending perpendicularly from the base of the storage vessel cover and a lip attached to the end of the rim parallel to and spaced from the base defining a channel; said second connector set including a perimeter of notches on the lip corresponding to the ears on the closure face of the port door. 
   
   
     4. The transfer system of  claim 3  wherein: the third connector set includes a perimeter of spaced apart notches and the fourth connector set includes perimeter of ears corresponding to the notches on the third connector set. 
   
   
     5. The transfer system of  claim 1  including: a funnel assembly having a funnel movable into and out of position with respect to the port. 
   
   
     6. The transfer system of  claim 1  wherein the docking ring assembly includes an inside locking ring and a concentric symmetrical outside docking ring;
 each ring comprised as a cylindrical band with an inverted crown shape. 
 
   
   
     7. The transfer system of  claim 6  wherein said inside ring is held stationary with respect to the cell floor and said outside ring is rotatable with respect to the inside ring. 
   
   
     8. The transfer system of  claim 7  wherein: the outside ring is mounted on a circular track. 
   
   
     9. The transfer system of  claim 8  including: a docking collar on the storage vessel that has a plurality of radially extending alignment lugs spaced about the periphery of the storage vessel, said lugs corresponding to the valleys on the docking rings so as to be intercepted by the docking rings when the storage vessel is brought into docking alignment with the docking station. 
   
   
     10. The transfer system of  claim 9  including: a motor to rotate the outside ring relative to the inside ring. 
   
   
     11. The transfer system of  claim 9  wherein: each crown peak on the inside ring has a horizontal slot intersecting the vertical slot and positioned so that when an alignment lug is positioned in a vertical slot rotation of the outside ring relative to the inside ring will move the alignment lug into the horizontal slot to dock the storage vessel to the cell floor. 
   
   
     12. The transfer system of  claim 11  including: a cell flange installed in the port; said inner ring connected to the cell flange. 
   
   
     13. The transfer system of  claim 11  including: a 55-gallon drum; said storage vessel located in the 55-gallon drum. 
   
   
     14. A waste storage container for use with a hazardous waste material transfer system of the type including a cell floor having a waste transfer port, a port door located on a first side of the cell floor and movable between an open position clear of the port and a closed position in sealing relationship to the port, said port door having a closure face with a first connector set of the variety that with a corresponding second connector set will engage and disengage upon relative rotation, said waste container comprising:
 a storage vessel for location on a second side of the cell floor and having an open end for receipt of waste material transferred through the port when the port door is open; 
 a storage vessel cover connectable to the open end of the storage vessel to close and seal the storage vessel; said storage vessel cover having a base with an outside face that faces outward of the storage vessel when the cover is connected to the storage vessel, and an inside face; the outside face of the cover having a second connector set that can interlock with a first connector set on the port door when the port door is closed; 
 a third connector set on the inside face of the cover; 
 a fourth connector set on the storage vessel that can interlock with the third connector set; 
 a docking station connected to the second side of the cell floor in surrounding relationship to the port for docking the storage vessel, wherein the docking station includes a docking ring assembly comprising:
 a cylindrical segment with an inverted crown shape having crown peaks and valleys, and 
 vertical slots defined in the valleys between the crown peaks; 
 
 second connector set corresponding to the first connector set of the variety that will engage and disengage upon rotation of the cover relative to the closure face of the port door; 
 said third and fourth connector sets of the variety that will engage and disengage upon rotation of the cover relative to the storage vessel; 
 second connector set relatively arranged with the first connector set and said third and fourth connector sets relatively arranged so that with the port door closed, rotation of the storage vessel in a first direction interlocks the first and second connector sets and releases the third and fourth connectors sets so that the port door can be opened with the vessel cover connected to it to open the storage vessel, and rotation of the storage vessel in a second direction with the port door closed releases the first and second connector sets and interlocks the third and fourth connector sets so that the storage vessel is closed and can be moved away from the port. 
 
   
   
     15. The waste storage container of  claim 14  wherein: the second connector set is a bayonet connector set. 
   
   
     16. The waste storage container of  claim 14  wherein: the third and fourth connector sets are bayonet connector sets. 
   
   
     17. The waste storage container of  claim 14  wherein the port door is of the type having a truncated conical body ending in a reduced diameter neck and the first connector set includes a perimeter of fastening ears spaced about the neck and extending radially outward, including; a circumferential rim extending perpendicularly from the base of the storage vessel cover and a lip attached to the end of the rim parallel to and spaced from the base defining a channel; said second connector set including a perimeter of notches on the lip corresponding to the ears on the closure face of the port door. 
   
   
     18. The waste storage container of  claim 14  wherein: the third connector set includes a perimeter of spaced apart notches and the fourth connector set includes perimeter of ears corresponding to the notches on the third connector set. 
   
   
     19. The waste storage container of  claim 14  wherein: said storage vessel has exterior dimensions to fit in an unlined standard 55 gallon drum. 
   
   
     20. The waste storage container of  claim 19  including: a standard 55-gallon drum; said storage vessel located in the 55-gallon drum. 
   
   
     21. The waste storage container of  claim 14  wherein: said storage vessel has exterior dimensions to fit in a lined standard 55-gallon drum. 
   
   
     22. The waste storage container of  claim 14  including: a lined standard 55-gallon drum; said storage vessel located in the 55-gallon drum. 
   
   
     23. The waste storage container of  claim 14  wherein said waste material transfer system is of the type having a docking station and including: a plurality of radially extending alignment lugs spaced about the perimeter of the storage vessel for docking the storage vessel to the docking station. 
   
   
     24. A material transfer system comprising:
 a cell floor for separating a containment environment from an exterior environment and having a first side for the containment environment side and a second side for the exterior environment side, said cell floor having a waste transfer port; 
 a port door located on the first side of the cell floor and movable between an open position clear of the port and a closed position in sealing relationship to the port, said port door having a closure face with a first connector set; 
 a storage vessel located on the second side of the cell floor and having an open end for receipt of waste material transferred through the port; 
 a storage vessel cover connectable to the open end of the storage vessel to close and seal the storage vessel; 
 said storage vessel cover having a base with an outside face that faces outward of the storage vessel when the cover is connected to the storage vessel, and an inside face; 
 the outside face of the cover having a second connector set that can interlock with the first connector set; 
 a third connector set on the inside face of the cover; 
 a fourth connector set on the storage vessel that can interlock with the third connector set; 
 said first and second connector sets of the variety that engage and disengage upon rotation of the cover relative to the closure face of the port door; 
 said third and fourth connector sets of the variety that engage and disengage upon rotation of the cover relative to the storage vessel; 
 a gear box extending through the cell floor; 
 a drive shaft installed in the gear box and structurally communicating with the port door; 
 an electric motor that drives the drive shaft and operatively moves the port door between the open and closed positions; 
 said first and second connector sets and said third and forth connector sets relatively arranged so that with the port door closed, rotation of the storage vessel in a first direction interlocks the first and second connector sets and releases the third and fourth connectors sets so that the port door can be opened with the vessel cover to open the storage vessel, and rotation of the storage vessel in a second direction with the port door closed releases the first and second connector sets and interlocks the third and fourth connector sets so that the storage vessel is closed and can be moved away from the port. 
 
   
   
     25. The material transfer system of  claim 24  further comprising:
 a docking station connected to the second side of the cell floor in surrounding relationship to the port for docking the storage vessel, wherein the docking station includes a docking ring assembly comprising:
 a cylindrical segment with an inverted crown shape having crown peaks and valleys, and 
 vertical slots defined in the valleys between the crown peaks. 
 
 
   
   
     26. The transfer system of  claim 24  wherein the docking ring assembly includes an inside locking ring and a concentric symmetrical outside docking rings; each ring comprised as a cylindrical band with an inverted crown shape. 
   
   
     27. The transfer system of  claim 26  wherein-said inside ring is held stationary with respect to the cell floor and said outside ring is rotatable with respect to the inside ring. 
   
   
     28. The transfer system of  claim 27  including: a docking collar on the storage vessel that has a plurality of radially extending alignment lugs spaced about the periphery of the storage vessel, said lugs corresponding to the valleys on the docking rings so as to be intercepted by the docking rings when the storage vessel is brought into docking alignment with the docking station. 
   
   
     29. The transfer system of  claim 28  including: a motor to rotate the outside ring relative to the inside ring.